A great mystery solved

[flashhole]

A short while back one of the members was asking about flame colors in their fireplace. I commented I thought different minerals present in the wood could account for different flame colors. I came across this poking around on the internet today.

From the Earth Sky website

... the colors of flames in a wood fire are due to different substances in the flames. The bright orange of most wood flames is due to the presence of sodium, which, when heated, emits light strongly in the orange. The blue in wood flames comes from carbon and hydrogen, which emit in the blue and violet. Copper compounds make green or blue, lithium makes red.

 

[flashhole]

In my area (Owego, NY) I see a lot of green and blue flames in the fire.

 

[Bushmans]

I see white.
Then I move the marshmallow!:taped:

 

[KenJax Tree]

Just take a piece of copper tubing and drill some holes through it and watch all the colors

 

[Mac88]

In my area (Owego, NY) I see a lot of green and blue flames in the fire.

Interesting info. I guess you're a little too far south of the salt mines, based on the colors you're getting.

 

[flashhole]

The fireplace color du jour was blue this evening. When the fire burned down I dropped a penny into the hot coals. It had a bright green flame surrounding it until the oxidized layer burned off and the penny turned red hot. I bet plumbers see lots of colors when they sweat pipes and tubing with a torch.

 

[bubba3228]

Interesting - I found "Earth Sky" - neat site

Bub

 

[Mac88]

I bet plumbers see lots of colors when they sweat pipes and tubing with a torch.

Depends on the gas they're burning. ;o)

 

[farmer steve]

i dont know about other wood ,but walnut wood gives off some nice blue green flames. some of my customers w/fireplaces ask for walnut to burn.(ambience?) FS.